A Beauty Chat: How to: Reduce the appearance of freckles & dark spots
09:49
Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner // Pai BioRegenrate Rosehip Oil // Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30 //
So let's go back to basics...
What are freckles? Freckles are little brown spots which are created by pigment-producing cells that when damaged, an abnormal collection of pigment is created therefore producing freckles.
What causes Freckles? The sun!! (Most commonly). Those collections of pigment is the skins way of telling us it is damaged and that we need to protect our skin from those rays. Those with fair skin, and are sensitive to the sun and sun damage, are the most common to get freckles.
What can I do? Freckles aren't something you can just banish and make disappear, it is a test of patience. But there are products available to help speed up the process like:
1. Skincare: Lemon juice is a home remedy for waving goodbye to those skin imperfector-ers. No rubbing in required, just apply on a cotton ball and swipe over skin, the lemon juice has acidic properties to lighten the skin. There are lightening creams and treatments that act as a peel to remove the top layer of your skin, which in turn lightens the appearance of those pesky freckles. Or if you prefer a more natural treatment, try mixing some fruits (high in vitamin C) together and leave them to dry on your skin and voila, a natural way to peel away the top layer of skin and lightening those dark spots - it's not as scary as it sounds.
Or you can use something like the Clarins Gentle exfoliator Brightening Toner, which works in a similar way as the lemon juice. Pai Rosehip Oil is another skincare product which works on those dark marks and if used regularly, it can reduce dark marks and scars.
2. Diet: Increasing your Vitamin C intake has also shown to help, whether it be supplements or eating fruits high in vitamin C, like oranges and strawberries. You could also whip up a smoothie with lots of vitamin C for a quick and tasty way to make sure you're getting your five a day, and helping your skin.
3. Lifestyle: Try and reduce your sun exposure, as too much of this will just fuel your damaged skin, not help it. Wear SPF, I promise you it will help as lack of it is what caused the freckles in the first place. If you can get a high SPF like a 30 or even a factor 50 then you will see the difference it makes and means that extra step in the morning is well worth it. I never leave home without it now.
How long does it take? Patience is key here. Unfortunately there is no time frame in which your freckles are to be completely gone, but you just have to be patient. If they don't seem to be fading at all, try a different method from above. If you do start to see them fade, then continue with the treatments otherwise they'll be back.
Remember, freckles aren't there just to annoy you, they're there because your skin is telling you it's damaged and needs some TLC. There are, of course, many other ways to reduce the appearance of freckles but they are most extreme treatments and could end up causing more damage to your skin. I haven't tried any of those methods to be able to recommended them. But maybe if you have a lot of freckles or if they are very dark, or have the type of freckles not caused by sun damage, then those may be a more suitable option for you but please research and get some advice before you go ahead with that.
Hope you found this helpful, and let me know if you have any other tips or treatments to reduce the appearance of freckles.
Do you think freckles are cute or just plain annoying?
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